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ANA Signature Sale 3094 19-20 Aug 2021
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Napoleon 135-Piece Boxed Set of Uncertified Bronze Medals ND (c. 1820-1830), In contemporary fitted green leather case with decorations in gilt by Gaînerie Legrous. Lid reads: "MEDAILLES RÉGNE DE NAPOLÉON" above and below the French Imperial coat-of-arms. With two brass handles (one broken) and the front (detached) with opened brass lock. Consists of 8 sky-blue painted and numbered fitted trays in soft green velvet, with red leather numbers in each slot, containing:
Tray 1: Zeitz-1-5, 7-10, 12, 14-15, 16 (x2), 17-19, 21, 24, 30, and Bram-1990 (21 medals)
Tray 2: Zeitz-11, 22, 24-26, 28-29, 31-34, 36, 47, 52, 99, 114 (16 medals)
Tray 3: Zeitz-27, 37-41 (x2), 42, 44-46, 48, 50, 53, 68, 119, and Julius-1400 (mule of Zeitz-50 and 51) (16 medals)
Tray 4: Zeitz-54, 56, 58, 60,-62, 64-67, 69-70, 72 (x2), 76, 80, 103, 120, and Bram-858 (19 medals)
Tray 5: Zeitz-63, 66, 73-78, 81-83, 85-86, 88-89, 90-91, 102, 104-105 (20 medals)
Tray 6: Zeitz-55, 57, 67, 79, 87, 92-95, 97, 99, 101, 106, 107, 110, 113 (x2), 116, 117, 118, 121 (21 medals)
Tray 7: Zeitz-49, 80, 109, 115, 119, 122-123, 125, 127-131, 133-135, 137, 139, 140-141, and Bram-550 (21 medals)
Tray 8: Open
"I am a true Roman Emperor; I am of the best race of Caesars - those who are founders." - Napoleon Bonaparte, 1812
An offering of immense appeal and importance not only to the enthusiast of the Napoleonic Age, but also of 19th-century Europe in general, as almost no area of the continent was left untouched by the man's influence. Captured here across 135 medals is the entire history of the Napoleonic Wars, from the Battle of Montenotte in 1796 through the Russian Campaign of 1812, and many events in between. What is further evidenced, however, is the First Consul and French Emperor's acute use of propaganda in a medallic medium, covering key events from his person life--including his Coronation as Emperor; the 1811 birth of his son, Napoleon II, the "King of Rome"; and his marriage to his second wife Marie-Louise in 1810. The fact that boxed sets such as this continued to be produced in the decades after his second exile, to St. Helena, and further after his death, truly speaks to the monumental impact Napoleon had on the culture, life, and memory of Europe in general and France in particular. Each of the medals contains a notably glassy finish to the surfaces, many uniquely toned in shades of cobalt and magenta from their long-time storage in this case. Nearly all appear AU to UNC, with a few exhibiting small spots of verdigris, and perhaps just one or two lightly brushed.
To the best of our knowledge, this is just the third such boxed set to come to auction in recent years, with one in our May 2018 sale of the Charles J. Ricard Collection of Napoleonic Medals (Auction #271821, lot 38128), and one in CNG's September 2017 Auction 106 (lot 1037); neither Bramsen nor Essling appears to have had one. Each has differed slightly in its contents, as well as in features of the case (the previous one we offered was in red leather), making the exact circumstances and time period of their manufacture somewhat uncertain. Zeitz records (pp. 28-29) that a famous British collector of the early 19th century, a Mr. Palmer, commissioned a presentation box produced for his collection in August 1815, meant to contain all types of Napoleonic medals he could acquire. That set is described as being in a similar green leather case, with the implication that his decision may have sparked an interest in collecting such sets in England (though the set we sold contained a receipt from January 1814). This certainly seems likely, and would appear to have been something of a business along the Quai de l'Horloge in Paris, Zeitz stating the Palmer set was manufactured at No. 59 on that street, whereas ours and the CNG set were at No. 67, and a bulletin from 1828 records A.M. Legrous at No. 65.
Production periods for the other sets have been suggested for the years between the 1820's to 30's, based on the latest dated medal, and some certainly seem dateable from the 1810's. Though the latest medal in this set (Bram-1990) is dated 1841, it is possible this was either a later addition or swapped out. For further insights into the contents of the trays, see Zeitz pp. 277-288.
https://coins.ha.com/itm/france/france-napoleon-135-piece-boxed-set-of-uncertified-bronze-medals-nd-c-1820-1830-total-135-coins-/a/3094-33165.s?type=CoinArchives3094
HID02906262019
© 2020 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Estimate: 15000-20000 USD
Napoleon 135-Piece Boxed Set of Uncertified Bronze Medals ND (c. 1820-1830), In contemporary fitted green leather case with decorations in gilt by Gaînerie Legrous. Lid reads: "MEDAILLES RÉGNE DE NAPOLÉON" above and below the French Imperial coat-of-arms. With two brass handles (one broken) and the front (detached) with opened brass lock. Consists of 8 sky-blue painted and numbered fitted trays in soft green velvet, with red leather numbers in each slot, containing:
Tray 1: Zeitz-1-5, 7-10, 12, 14-15, 16 (x2), 17-19, 21, 24, 30, and Bram-1990 (21 medals)
Tray 2: Zeitz-11, 22, 24-26, 28-29, 31-34, 36, 47, 52, 99, 114 (16 medals)
Tray 3: Zeitz-27, 37-41 (x2), 42, 44-46, 48, 50, 53, 68, 119, and Julius-1400 (mule of Zeitz-50 and 51) (16 medals)
Tray 4: Zeitz-54, 56, 58, 60,-62, 64-67, 69-70, 72 (x2), 76, 80, 103, 120, and Bram-858 (19 medals)
Tray 5: Zeitz-63, 66, 73-78, 81-83, 85-86, 88-89, 90-91, 102, 104-105 (20 medals)
Tray 6: Zeitz-55, 57, 67, 79, 87, 92-95, 97, 99, 101, 106, 107, 110, 113 (x2), 116, 117, 118, 121 (21 medals)
Tray 7: Zeitz-49, 80, 109, 115, 119, 122-123, 125, 127-131, 133-135, 137, 139, 140-141, and Bram-550 (21 medals)
Tray 8: Open
"I am a true Roman Emperor; I am of the best race of Caesars - those who are founders." - Napoleon Bonaparte, 1812
An offering of immense appeal and importance not only to the enthusiast of the Napoleonic Age, but also of 19th-century Europe in general, as almost no area of the continent was left untouched by the man's influence. Captured here across 135 medals is the entire history of the Napoleonic Wars, from the Battle of Montenotte in 1796 through the Russian Campaign of 1812, and many events in between. What is further evidenced, however, is the First Consul and French Emperor's acute use of propaganda in a medallic medium, covering key events from his person life--including his Coronation as Emperor; the 1811 birth of his son, Napoleon II, the "King of Rome"; and his marriage to his second wife Marie-Louise in 1810. The fact that boxed sets such as this continued to be produced in the decades after his second exile, to St. Helena, and further after his death, truly speaks to the monumental impact Napoleon had on the culture, life, and memory of Europe in general and France in particular. Each of the medals contains a notably glassy finish to the surfaces, many uniquely toned in shades of cobalt and magenta from their long-time storage in this case. Nearly all appear AU to UNC, with a few exhibiting small spots of verdigris, and perhaps just one or two lightly brushed.
To the best of our knowledge, this is just the third such boxed set to come to auction in recent years, with one in our May 2018 sale of the Charles J. Ricard Collection of Napoleonic Medals (Auction #271821, lot 38128), and one in CNG's September 2017 Auction 106 (lot 1037); neither Bramsen nor Essling appears to have had one. Each has differed slightly in its contents, as well as in features of the case (the previous one we offered was in red leather), making the exact circumstances and time period of their manufacture somewhat uncertain. Zeitz records (pp. 28-29) that a famous British collector of the early 19th century, a Mr. Palmer, commissioned a presentation box produced for his collection in August 1815, meant to contain all types of Napoleonic medals he could acquire. That set is described as being in a similar green leather case, with the implication that his decision may have sparked an interest in collecting such sets in England (though the set we sold contained a receipt from January 1814). This certainly seems likely, and would appear to have been something of a business along the Quai de l'Horloge in Paris, Zeitz stating the Palmer set was manufactured at No. 59 on that street, whereas ours and the CNG set were at No. 67, and a bulletin from 1828 records A.M. Legrous at No. 65.
Production periods for the other sets have been suggested for the years between the 1820's to 30's, based on the latest dated medal, and some certainly seem dateable from the 1810's. Though the latest medal in this set (Bram-1990) is dated 1841, it is possible this was either a later addition or swapped out. For further insights into the contents of the trays, see Zeitz pp. 277-288.
https://coins.ha.com/itm/france/france-napoleon-135-piece-boxed-set-of-uncertified-bronze-medals-nd-c-1820-1830-total-135-coins-/a/3094-33165.s?type=CoinArchives3094
HID02906262019
© 2020 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Estimate: 15000-20000 USD